I know the largest Bosch undercounter has a 3.4 cu. ft. drum while the smaller on has a 2.1. The Miele is rated by weight and can hold 5.5 kg. It also comes in two sizes and I don't know if that's the smaller or larger of the two. It is so expensive though, that I don't think I'll be considering it. I thought of a rolling stool, too, but if it's in the kitchen, you need to worry about storing it...PITA! If you're still doing a separate laundry room you should check out the link below to see nomorebluekitchen's laundry room (you have to scroll way down). It's perfect for someone who uses your laundry technique. Here is a link that might be useful: Anita's laundry room

linda, I'm not sure what you refer to when you mention a countertop kit. I didn't use any kits, nor do I have a filler frame between the machines. In my laundry room the counter under which the appliances are located is about 12 feet long. Starting on the left end, there is a short section of countertop with a cupboard below, a large, deep single basin sink with cupboard below, then the dryer with the washer to the right of that, then another cupboard to the right of the washer. The plumbing for the washer is located behind the appliance. These include the hot and cold hose bibbs below the countertop, with the on-off valves controlling the bibbs built into the wall above the countertop. The valves are from Chicago Faucet and look like this: Having the valves above the counter allows me to easily turn the water supply on and off, while having the bibbs below the countertop means I don't see any hoses. The washer drains into an ordinary 2" standpipe that is also built in below the countertop. To facilitate connecting the dryer exhaust vent pipe, there is an opening (approx 6" X 9") in the right lower back of the under-sink cabinet so that I can reach through and connect the dryer exhaust. Hope this helps. James

I don't have a miele, but I did have a FL under the counter for twenty years and, yes, it did give me a lot of very useful flexible space. And I had no problem with it being at that level. After we moved I inherited a TL which recently quit. I replaced it with a FL and almost talked myself into thinking I would need a pedestal at my advancing age. Fortunately Wa8b talked me out of it. That said, your Miele looks to be an awesome machine, but at 39 inches high (and more, adding the thickness of a counter)it will be very high for a regular counter. Your 5 and 6 year olds would need to sit on bar stools at the least. And you'd have to get very creative to deal with the controls access issue.

I'm in the same spot, as I'd like to keep the counters in our laundry/bath as close to standard as possible without having to go to really small machines. As practigal said, Frigidaire has 36" tall models with good capacity, but I was told by an appliance salesman last fall that these are being discontinued and I'm worried about the possibility of having to replace something that's no longer available. I hate that the new "standard" is gargantuan. I tried to contact Frigidaire to see if the discontinuation rumor was true, but I didn't get a reply. Here is a link that might be useful: Frigidaire front load washers